Crouching Stereo, Hidden PC

[gntlkilr]

Ok been awhile since I've done any modding. But here it is.

I was able to get a decent shape broken "for-parts" Sony STR-DE885 5.1 Receiver off ebay for about $10 + shipping (damn shipping fees). The entire guts were FRIED! Burn Spots all over. Nothing was salvageable. The AC inverter and AC filter assembly were done for, every capacitor had exploded, the VFD controller chip was smoked. This thing had seen better days.

So, what better way to honor its hard knock life than turn it into a hidden HTPC?

Ok. Here she is before the teardown (sorry no burn pics or teardown pics. I got excited. LOL)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e142/foreverdark77/DSCF0099.jpg

Structurally, she was intact. a couple nicks here and there, but bondo and paint can help that. If you look at the bottom of the front panel where all the buttons and doodads are, I'm going to make that into a flip down panel for the BD-ROM I'm installing.

Stripped Frame
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e142/foreverdark77/DSCF0100.jpg
You can get a size reference by the G15 V2 right above it. Heh. Plenty of room for a Micro-ATX Socket 939 board. I'm going with a 120mm on either side to create a wind tunnel effect.

here's the front panel PCB with a few burn marks. You can see them if you look carefully.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e142/foreverdark77/DSCF0105.jpg


I thought this was funny tho. They had a PCB interconnected with the front panel PCB for the power buttons, A/B Speakers buttons, etc. LOL
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e142/foreverdark77/DSCF0108.jpg

So I want to use the VFD i dea for the fron media display so I'm getting THIS (http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9570/bus-205/LCD_16_x_2_Display_Board_with_UART_Based_USB_Editi on_I_Smartie_module_PC_Case_DE-LD011.html?tl=g34c141s469) to replace the broken LCD. That way i can program as needed to display file playing, movie title, winamp/VLC/WMP stats, and while nothing is playing, CPU and temp stats. Heh. Easy-peasy, right? Right.


So yeah. More to come. Its a growing baby idea right now, but its in the works. Now its just time to wait for my stuff to come in. Heh.

[rithunder916]

it looks good! It will be a great start!


Mike

[BerticusPryme]

that looks like a great itme to start with. If you are going to make the flip down in the front fro the drive I would try and salvage the buttons on it and leave them there. that way it makes it look really stock. thats my .02 anyway.

[gntlkilr]

that looks like a great itme to start with. If you are going to make the flip down in the front fro the drive I would try and salvage the buttons on it and leave them there. that way it makes it look really stock. thats my .02 anyway.

You're right. They will stay. unusable, but staying. the whole panel is going flip down. I found the donor front panel that will donate the initial flip down mechanism i.e. spring, latches, etc

Still gotta take out my hardware from my current media pc before I can start figuring out how to place everything. Gonna have to change the cooler. Might have to go with the stock AM2/939 cooler for this mod. I have a passive heatsink on it now thats MASSIVE. Uh, Silverstone I think.

[slaveofconvention]

Might I suggest one of these....

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_43&mID=255

This was the latest sound-related upgrade to my AM2 Media Centre to replace the stock cooler and noise-wise, it made a huge difference. I have the PC folding 24/7 (its a dual core so not too much of an issue) and the temps stay perfectly reasonable - it's only fractionally taller than the stock one, if I remember correctly...

My media centre is in one of these...

http://uk.thermaltake.eu/product_info.aspx?PARENT_CID=C_00000175&id=C_00000176&name=DH101&ovid=

Just so you can get an idea of size etc...

[Mark_Hardware]

Cool man I like the idea!

[gntlkilr]

Might I suggest one of these....

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_43&mID=255

This was the latest sound-related upgrade to my AM2 Media Centre to replace the stock cooler and noise-wise, it made a huge difference. I have the PC folding 24/7 (its a dual core so not too much of an issue) and the temps stay perfectly reasonable - it's only fractionally taller than the stock one, if I remember correctly...

My media centre is in one of these...

http://uk.thermaltake.eu/product_info.aspx?PARENT_CID=C_00000175&id=C_00000176&name=DH101&ovid=

Just so you can get an idea of size etc...

Thats actually about the same size as mine currently. I'm using a Silverstone NT06-Lite (no fan, thats the Lite version, :think:). LINKY (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=nt06-lite&area=) Works great. Same basic idea, a 12 cm fan on each side to create a wind tunnel effect.

OH, forgot to mention the fans and hardware.
Fans 3 12 cm Noctua
Mobo - MSI RS280-IL
Proc - Skt 939 AMD 4600+ X2 (wife's old rig)
2 Gb of Mushkin DDR400
HDD - ops - 36 gb Raptor v1 (had it laying around)
No need for storage, I've got a Massive 10 TB server on the network

Only question I have is OS. I've run LinuxMCE and its just too much. I've run Win MCE, too buggy. What can people tell me about mythTV? I've read the site, not too sure yet. No TV Tuner cards so really no need for a TiVO. Got a supplied DVR for that. Or is there another option that I'm not readily thinking about?

[gntlkilr]

Cool man I like the idea!

its been something I've wanted to do for awhile, but never had the time. now that I'm in a cast for 30 days and off work (paid leave, rockin!), I figure its time.

[slaveofconvention]

Idn if you can get some specs, but before the 64 cooler in now, I had the big upright 64 Pro cooler in there - and it just touched the lid, and I had to remove the top brace to make it fit - a side effect of the contact was vibration from the fan running into the chassis which is why I went back to the stock cooler, then later to the one it's running now...

[gntlkilr]

Idn if you can get some specs, but before the 64 cooler in now, I had the big upright 64 Pro cooler in there - and it just touched the lid, and I had to remove the top brace to make it fit - a side effect of the contact was vibration from the fan running into the chassis which is why I went back to the stock cooler, then later to the one it's running now...

Same reason for me. My first cooler was a zalman cpns9500. BARELY fit. it touched the outside case a bit and the rattle was killing me. That's why I went with the silverstone. but its WAY too big for what I have planned. I'm thinking maybe a Zalman vf2000. (http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=338) its low profile, quiet @ 19 dBa, and it looks kinda cool.

[Liquid_Scope_99]

Hey off to a great start i like the idea of putting a computer i a receiver

[rithunder916]

have you gotten the cooling situation taken care of? if not, try a FX series cooler. If you need pictures of one I have one lying around doing nothing..

mike

[gntlkilr]

have you gotten the cooling situation taken care of? if not, try a FX series cooler. If you need pictures of one I have one lying around doing nothing..

mike

yeah, I picked an old MSI socket 478 P4 board, same size and basic layout and my MCE one. Got it for $10 at a garage sale and it works too! LOL. It's acting as my layout board so I don't have to tear down my current HTPC right now.

I ordered the VFD and the CPU Cooler. I went with the Zalman vf2000. It should come int he next couple of days. Frozencpu.com ROCKS if you're in the states, if you didn't know it already. When I was in germany, watercooling.de was choice there.

But yeah. This week should have an update with me putting in the mounts for the DVD-ROM (BD-ROM is on backorder), then that way I can make the stands and mount for the mobo and PSU. Oh, speaking of, I'm going with this PSU (http://www.xilence-lab.de/News-Details-Engl.19+M5205d97c024.0.html?&L=1). I replaced the interior fan with a Noctua 12 cm and its quiet and still cool.

[sloppyc]

Sweet, great idea. I will be watching and possibly copying some ideas for my Sony CD Player build.

[gntlkilr]

Sweet, great idea. I will be watching and possibly copying some ideas for my Sony CD Player build.

Help yourself! I might steal your mappable buttons idea. so there, we're even. LOL

[sloppyc]

Haha sweet, do it. You have plenty of options with that case. Replacement volume knob comes to mind.

I really like the CPU fan you've got, I'm interested in knowing how quite it is and how tall it is. My case is significantly smaller.

The display you've chosen, why is is so inexpensive? I was looking at Matrix Orbial and Crystalfontz and they seemed to be nearly double that price.

[gntlkilr]

Haha sweet, do it. You have plenty of options with that case. Replacement volume knob comes to mind.
Still got the volume knob. Thinking about adding a varistor to it to make a fan controller for the 2 12cm fans.

The display is a small 16x2. Thats all that will fit in the front panel of this case. Thats why its cheap.

[Waynio]

Subscribed, like to see this progress :up:, was thinking of doing something like this myself a while ago but wanted to put one of my older full size atx boards inside and was just not possible with the depth, but micro is totally possible.

[gntlkilr]

Sorry, no update today. I can only work on my projects the days my wife isn't at work. Ah well. I was cruising ebay a week-ish ago, and I saw this sale (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300350629747&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_1182), figured I'd put in a hail mary bid of 60 USD. LOL Now I need to upgrade my server to use this board, I never thought I'd actually win it. LOL

[SXRguyinMA]

nice score!

[gntlkilr]

nice score!

Thats what I thought. The RAID card itself has been selling for 50. so a mobo and 2 proc and 4 Gb or DDR 400, not too bad for 10. LOL.

So my VFD and CPU Cooler aren't in yet (I clicked send all at once, I'm a dumba**). Once they come in, I can start piece mealing this thing together.

[slaveofconvention]

dayum, that's a cracking deal - here's hoping they don't back out of it!

[sloppyc]

Damn. Wish I had a spare $60 lying around at the moment now.

[gntlkilr]

dayum, that's a cracking deal - here's hoping they don't back out of it!

already shipped. I've dealt with this seller before. He gets old enterprise equipment and sells it on the cheap. i think it's because his wife tells him to get rid of it somehow out of the garage. LOL

[slaveofconvention]

i think it's because his wife tells him to get rid of it somehow out of the garage. LOL

Now that's something I can really identify with lol

[sloppyc]

already shipped. I've dealt with this seller before. He gets old enterprise equipment and sells it on the cheap. i think it's because his wife tells him to get rid of it somehow out of the garage. LOL

Sounds like my wife!

[FuzzyPlushroom]

If you haven't already decided on that PSU, it may not be the best choice (http://forums.hardwaresecrets.com/sunbeam-xilence-redwing/2465); the fact that nobody seems to know who actually makes the model you're looking at is generally a giveaway. If you've already received it, well, it's unlikely to actually catch fire.

Great score on the Opties! I'm a bit jealous there. Sometimes eBay has its benefits. :)

Looking forward to seeing the tiny text-screen go in...

[gntlkilr]

If you haven't already decided on that PSU, it may not be the best choice (http://forums.hardwaresecrets.com/sunbeam-xilence-redwing/2465); the fact that nobody seems to know who actually makes the model you're looking at is generally a giveaway. If you've already received it, well, it's unlikely to actually catch fire.

Great score on the Opties! I'm a bit jealous there. Sometimes eBay has its benefits. :)

Looking forward to seeing the tiny text-screen go in...

I've been running Xilence for awhile now. Great mid range PSU over in Europe. Re-branded enermax basically. The PSU I have has been running perfectly and quietly for 3 years now.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

Re-branded enermax basically.

Ahh, okay, cool, good to know. So the newer/higher-end models are actually worthwhile. Every so often I get someone from Europe asking me about recommendations. Thanks.

[gntlkilr]

Heh. I'm in the States. But i was Stationed in Germany for awhile. The 550w's are actually quite decent. one of the first enermax's to carry the 80+ cert.

Speaking of Europe. How do I change that flag? LOL. Can't find it anywhere in the User CP.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

I think you have to ask one of the admins nicely - you got it put there by mentioning your location in the flags thread, try posting that you're back in the States?

[SXRguyinMA]

or PM an Admin :up:

[Bopher]

Speaking of Europe. How do I change that flag? LOL. Can't find it anywhere in the User CP.

jdbnsn usaully takes care of those. Theres a thread around here somewhere for it.

[gntlkilr]

jdbnsn usaully takes care of those. Theres a thread around here somewhere for it.

Ill have to PM him and see if he can do that for me. Thanks!

Ok, minor update that has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the build. I've been crazy busy at work since the promotion (they made me a supervisor, not cool. 15 hour days, whiny 18 yr old kids that don't want to work, boss is asking me to volunteer for other things, I need to get out of the military. LOL). So I haven't really had time to do anything beyond make a few cuts on plexi to build the BD-ROM mount and mobo mounts.

I still need to sand and polish, and cut open the donor case for the back panel (might build my own out of some spare aluminum I have), find a low profile PCI sound card (the onboard SUX, but its only an option), and am still waiting for my PCIe X16 riser.


But I got my ebay server board in today. :banana: I have to show it. :banana: Opening it, I was like the Swedish Chef (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Chef) with that packing material, it went E V E R Y W H E R E

Like THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-OFXUaMIv8)

Even the box was pretty. In good shape, the original box too.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/immortalshadow77/Server/ShippingBox.jpg

Inside the box were some early halloween goodies!

IDE to Compact Flash Adapter w/ a 512 Mb card
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/immortalshadow77/Server/IDEFlashAdapter.jpg

3ware 8 port SATA controller with short cables
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/immortalshadow77/Server/SATAController.jpg

I/O Plate, floppy, IDE cable, COM port adapter
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/immortalshadow77/Server/Accessories.jpg

And finally, the board with matching 2.4 Ghz Opterons already on it and 4 Gb DDR533.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/immortalshadow77/Server/Mobo-CPUs.jpg

[sloppyc]

That is sweet.